Pelfrey makes his case to stay in rotation

NEW YORK -- Mike Pelfrey needed to do something big to convince the Mets he should hold on to his spot in the starting rotation when Pedro Martinez comes back.

Listening to manager Willie Randolph yesterday, it sounds like Pelfrey did exactly what he had to do.

Randolph heaped praise on Pelfrey, who shrugged off a first-inning run and gutted out seven innings of two-run ball to keep the Mets in the game.

"I mean, you have to really learn how to get through those games where you struggle early, and don't bend and don't give it up," Randolph said. "He struggled off and on with his control and with his command, but he showed me a lot today. I'm real proud of the way he bounced back and kept us in the game.

Either Pelfrey (2-6, 4.98 ERA) or Claudio Vargas (2-2, 4.50) will be moved out to make room for Martinez.

"We've got a real tough decision to make in a couple days," Randolph said. "I just think this is a great step for (Pelfrey) as a young pitcher -- to see how he deals with the adversity and the ups and downs. That's a big plus for any young pitcher, and today he came through with flying colors."

Pelfrey said he made up his mind early on to take a little off the ball and let the hitters hit it at his fielders, rather than trying to strike people out. He ended up with six strikeouts anyway, and retired the final 12 batters he faced.

He claimed he isn't worried about losing his job.

"If they tell me that, 'Hey, you're going to New Orleans,' it's not the first time," he said. "If they tell me that I'm going to the bullpen, it's not the first time. So I'm not going to worry about that -- that's their decision. My whole focus is to keep working hard and keep trying to get better."

Reliever Matt Wise, on the disabled list with tendinitis in his rotator cuff, is flying to Los Angeles today to get a second opinion on his shoulder from noted orthopedic surgeon Lewis Yocum.

Whatever Yocum, the team doctor for the Los Angeles Angels, says about Wise's shoulder, it's apparent the right-hander won't be available to pitch anytime soon.

"I don't think he's going to be out for the year, but he's going to be out a couple months, probably," Randolph said.

Wise, who has complained of a lack of shoulder strength, said the Mets' doctors have told him his problem is with a nerve in the back of his shoulder. He wants Yocum -- who has operated on him twice -- to take a look at him because, "this is my career we're talking about, so I want to make sure that, worst case, he looks at it and says it's the same diagnosis, and we go from there."

Billy Wagner worked the ninth and struck out the side to earn his 11th save in 13 opportunities. Duaner Sanchez worked a scoreless eighth inning to earn his second victory this week.

Sanchez was the winning pitcher in the 12-inning victory on Wednesday.

Jose Reyes' third-inning single extended his hitting streak to 16 games and his on-base streak to 31 games. Darryl Strawberry holds the club record for getting on base, reaching safely in 33 consecutive games in 1987.

Damion Easley started at second base instead of Luis Castillo, who left Friday's game with a strained hip flexor suffered while turning a double play in the seventh inning. Castillo grounded out as a pinch hitter in the eighth.

Ryan Church (concussion) could return to the lineup tonight, according to Randolph. Church ran the bases before the game and pronounced himself sound. 